The invention relates to a method of controlling the paper web when leaving the press nip, and to a device for performing the method.
A paper web is dewatered when passing through a press nip together with one or several felts and/or belts. In one type of press nip the paper web is running through the press nip between two press felts, known as a double-felted press nip. After the press nip the paper web should follow one of the felts. It is sometimes a problem to control the paper web path, and the paper web may sometimes also have a tendency to follow the other felt, especially after a stop or break of the paper web. The higher speeds of modern papermaking machines have made the problem more pronounced. Another reason for the problem is that all the felts are not replaced at the same time but individually, depending on felt wear. The paper web tends to follow the felt having the smoothest surface in general the felt which has been in operation for the longest period of time. The problem is more obvious in the case of tail-threading through the press nip or after web breaks. In such cases the web may follow an undesirable path through the press section, causing time-consuming operational standstills.
Different ways to achieve control of the web have been tried. One way is to adjust the press roll interrelationship, i.e. the geometry of the rolls, in such a manner that the felt which the web has to follow expands, while its reverse side still abuts against the press roll whereas the second felt expands by means of air supplied to its reverse side. The vacuum thus generated in the felt to which air is not supplied, exerts a certain pressure against the web for guiding the web in the desired web path. However, this method suffers from considerable drawbacks since the geometry of the press and the felt angles are fixed within narrow limits. The force acting on the web is not sufficient to press the paper web against the desired one of the felts in a satisfactory manner.
Another prior-art way of solving the problem is to manufacture one of the felts impermeable, at least over a certain part of its thickness, to such an extent that it becomes practically impossible for air to penetrate through the felt. A felt of this kind will then serve as a web transport felt on which the web is carried through the papermaking machine, and particularly through the machine press section. After a certain period of operation, the felt surface becomes very smooth and this creates difficulties when the web is about to leave the transport felt at the entrance to the dryer section. At this point the web adheres so firmly to the felt that it cannot be removed therefrom.